


Planning

by Crowgirl



Category: Captain America (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - 19th Century, Established Relationship, Fluff, Jewelry, M/M, Not Beta Read
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2018-11-29
Packaged: 2019-09-02 09:44:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16784476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Crowgirl/pseuds/Crowgirl
Summary: ‘What do you suggest? Three matching bands and we get thrown out of all decent society?’





	Planning

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Catchclaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchclaw/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Something More Beautiful](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16780561) by [Catchclaw](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Catchclaw/pseuds/Catchclaw). 



‘He’s getting nervous again.’

It takes a minute for Tony to look up from the magnifying glass and then he just squints at Steven. ‘Hm? Who?’

Steven shuts the door carefully and comes a few steps further into the study. It isn’t a room he frequents but everything about it says _Tony_ which makes being in it a pleasure. ‘James.’

‘What? Why?’ Tony pushes the small kerosene lamp away from the magnifying glass and turns to give Steven his attention. He has his glasses propped on top of his head and he removes them as he turns, folding the metal frames carefully. 

‘All the usual reasons, I imagine.’

‘The season again.’ Tony sighs and shakes his head, pinching at the bridge of his nose. 

Steven knows better than to point out that fewer hours spent peering at bits of wire, even under high magnification, would probably solve the headaches. Instead, he steps up behind Tony’s chair and begins to rub at his shoulders. The muscles are wooden under his hands, even through the layers of shirt and vest but Tony sighs immediately, sagging back in the chair, dropping his head against Steven’s belly. Steven laughs. ‘Better?’

‘Mmm -- always better with you,’ Tony murmurs, then shakes his head again and opens his eyes, peering up at Steven. ‘Even if your lover is a bit of a nuisance.’

‘Oh, I see: now he’s _my_ lover. You were singing a different tune last night, if I remember rightly.’

Tony smirks. ‘Those were completely different circumstances and you know perfectly well I’m not to be taken seriously with a cock in me.’ 

‘I’ll remember that the next time you’re swearing eternal adoration.’ Steve digs his thumbs in hard at the base of Tony’s neck. ‘Seriously, though. He’s been stewing for days now.’

‘So what to do, what to do…’ Tony drums his fingers on the table. ‘It’s not as though we can make an announcement that will take him off the list of eligible bachelors. Nothing _we_ say will have the slightest effect on the mammas.’

Steven shakes his head, running his fingers up the back of Tony’s neck and into his soft dark hair. Tony almost purrs and lets his head drop back against Steven’s hands again. ‘Mm, I’m not sure that’s the problem. I think he’s learned not to take them too seriously. He’ll never be much of a social butterfly but then neither am I.’

‘A ring,’ Tony says and Steven blinks.

‘Pardon?’

‘That’s what ends the conversations, isn’t it? Even more than the announcement -- it’s that lovely little sparkly band.’ Tony wriggles the fingers of his left hand in the air. _‘That’s_ what does the trick.’

‘What do you suggest? Three matching bands and we get thrown out of all decent society?’

Tony snorts. ‘As if decent society’s worth that much trouble. No, not that--’ He reaches up and squeezes Steven’s fingers then gets up and crosses the room, throwing open the doors of a tall mahogany cabinet and beginning to rummage through the shallow drawers inside.

Steven stays where he is, leaning forward on the back of Tony’s chair, waiting until Tony is ready to explain whatever brilliant scheme he’s come up with.

‘Ah!’ Tony whips around with a drawer in his hands and comes back to the desk. He shoves aside the heavily framed magnifying glass and puts the drawer down with a flourish. ‘What do you think?’

‘They don’t seem your style,’ Steven says after a minute. There are only two things in the drawer: two curves of diamonds. The stones are small, beautifully matched, and the delicate setting makes them appear almost like flowers.

‘They weren’t. They were mother’s.’ Tony brushes nonexistent dust off a stone. 

‘And you’re suggesting we turn these into rings?’

Tony tilts his head, half-closing one eye and studying the pieces. ‘Mmm, no. Perhaps...perhaps a stickpin? Or buttons?’

‘What about a necklace?’ Steven’s not sure where the suggestion comes from but, once he has the idea, he can’t get rid of it. He’s never seen James in any jewelry at all, but the idea of the sparkling stones against James’s skin is enticing and he can tell Tony’s having much the same thought.

But Tony shakes his head. ‘They’re not big enough.’ 

‘They would be if we had more stones.’ Steven pulls the soft piece of velvet out of his waistcoat pocket and unfolds it next to the diamonds. The opals gleam, catching the light of the kerosene lamp and turning it into color and gold. He hadn’t had a plan when he put them into his pocket before coming into Tony’s study, just a notion that perhaps Tony could think of some way to make them useful and damned if he hasn’t.

‘Ah, yes…’ Tony breathes and picks up the diamond curves, arranging them to make a frame for the larger stone. ‘Something like that, perhaps?’

Steven steps around the corner of the desk and slides his arm around Tony’s shoulders so they’re snugged together, hip to hip, as they plan for James. ‘Perfect.’


End file.
